


Next Stop: Love

by high_warlock_of_brooklyn



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec is a good brother, And so does Simon and you can't convince me otherwise, Free Square, Idiots in Love, Jace is in love, Jimon are cheesy af, Listen I'm the kind of person to mouths along the lyrics, M/M, Shadowhunters Bingo, Subway AU, Subways, There's so many caller tunes, Yes I like cheesy songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/high_warlock_of_brooklyn/pseuds/high_warlock_of_brooklyn
Summary: Jace is late for work, and meets a cute guy on the subway. Turns out, subways are magical places for music, lip syncing, and romance.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Simon Lewis/Jace Wayland
Comments: 9
Kudos: 106
Collections: Trope Celebration Event





	Next Stop: Love

**Author's Note:**

> Written for: Shadowhunters Bingo  
> Square filled: Free Square  
> Server Trope Event: Subway AU  
> Happy reading!

“Why is it that Alec’s the one with a stupid crush and I’m the one miserable here!” Jace mutters, dashing down the subway escalator. “I swear if I miss this train I’ll kill him! _It’s Magnus’ routine day to come into the shop so I’m gonna hog the shower_ for fifty. Fucking. Minutes!”

The very funny impersonation (in Jace’s opinion at least) does nothing for the glare the grey vested man Jace almost crashes into sends his way. “Sorry about th-”

Jace’s quick apology dies in his throat when he sees the train standing in the platform. A quick glance at the clock, _and only 16 seconds left?! Maia’s gonna kill him if he’s late again!_

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shi-

“Wait! Hold the door!” A hand comes up to between the doors, and Jace slides in, just in time. “Thanks!” He looks at the guy who probably just single-handedly saved his job at the Hunter Moon’s, no thanks to his lovesick brother, and wow he’s pretty cute! And those glasses are-

“You’re welcome.” The guy sends a goofy grin his way, and yes, Jace is positively melting.

He’s kinda nerd hot, okay! Sue him! Wait actually, knowing his bank balance, don’t sue him.

The subway ride is everything anyone can expect from a New York subway car. It’s cramped, it’s sweaty, it takes too long, and there’s about half a dozen people yelling into their phones in the same compartment. Usually he’s on the subway about an hour earlier, and it’s still cramped, but considerably less than whatever dark side of the moon this is. Times like this, Jace really, really feels like he should probably get a car.

Then again, it’s not that he can afford a car, because contrary to popular belief, he’d rather not take his racist, homophobe grandmother’s money, however million bucks it might be, and he already owes the Lightwoods almost his entire life. 

He sighs, and looks around, and there’s a girl standing with her Doberman next to her standing on its hind legs.

Again, the wonders of subway.

The next station comes up, and Jace hopes like hell he doesn’t get pushed to the back. Oh the things he’s seen! A guy gets in, his platinum blond beard stained with what Jace hopes is soy sauce, the stench of garlic practically oozing off of him. And as his luck would have it, the Van Helsing wannabe ditches the less cramped side for some godforsaken reason, and instead approaches the small space behind Jace.

Jace does something that his gymnastics coach Hodge Starkweather would have been proud of, back in Idris High. He twists and turns slipping through the small wedged space between Doberman Girl and the banker probably regretting his whole life, and finds his feet colliding against a pair of tattered converse.

“Sorry!” Jace takes a deep breath to ready himself against the onslaught of yelling that’s about to ensue for bumping into the guy, and immediately regrets the decision for two reasons. One, Van Helsing’s smell is stronger than he anticipated, and two, Pretty Face is currently smiling at him.

“It’s a subway car.” The guy gestures around with his head. “It happens. Don’t worry about it.” 

“I won’t then.” Jace says, dumbly grinning, before realizing that this isn’t very much like him, in fact this seems like-

NO! Nononononono! Nopity nope nope nope! One look at Magnus and his brother has been basically waxing poetry about Magnus’ ‘pretty eyes’ at all waking moments. Jace maybe reckless but he’s not Alec. He doesn’t get smitten. It’s the number two rule of the Jace Herondale handbook, right under ‘Never trust a duck.’

Right.

_Right?_

Pretty Face smiles again, and Jace feels like he could make an exception. And it’s not like he’s ever meeting this guy again. So what the hell.

Jace smiles back, adding in a little bit of the Herondale charm in it this time.

There’s a caller tune blasting, and it’s the cheesiest song Jace has heard in a while. Izzy’s entire Britney Spears phase has done nothing but prepare Jace for a Pavlovian reaction of _‘Not again’_ by the time Britney is declaring her addiction to whoever the hell the song is written for.

Jace looks back at Pretty Face again, hoping as hell that the person would pick the damn phone up, when he realizes the guy is actually mouthing along the lyrics, eyes closed, bopping his head around a little. Jace’s lips quirk up a little involuntarily, and Pretty Face opens his eyes just in time to see him smiling, and takes the encouragement tenfold, eyes shining. The next time the song plays, (Jace makes a side note to never call anyone with a caller tune again), Pretty Face is stretching his shoulders comically, clearing his throat, a hidden smile on his face. 

He starts alongside Britney, face contorted in a funny way, the hand that isn’t wrapped around the pole waving around to accentuate the lyrics. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and Jace feels his entire soul laughing at this pretty dumbass.

It’s after two more tries that the person picks the phone up finally, and both Jace and Pretty Face wait eagerly to hear the person’s voice, and it’s the tinniest grandma voice he’s ever heard. Both Jace and Pretty Face hardly keep their shits together after the grandma yells at the caller over phone for interrupting their daily soap opera.

It’s finally Jace’s stop, and he gets off, before taking one last look at the pretty dumbass who’s made his day better after that disastrous start. He’s smiling, and takes a small bow, and for the first time, Jace considers his doomed luck in owning a car a blessing.

___________________________

Jace is going to kill Alec.

He had woken up early this morning, hauling his ass out of his too-hard-for-any-actual-comfort bed at the asscrack of dawn to make coffee to keep him up, anticipating the amount of time Alec spends in the bathroom on his ‘Magnus days’.

But his fool in love brother has decided to uber bone him, and proceeded to have a two hour bathroom break because Magnus asked him out for lunch yesterday. Jace had to calm him down from a panic attack because it’s his first date, _ever_. He also had to pick out his clothes because guys can’t let other guys wear holey sweaters when they go out with said other guys they’ve been crushing on since forever.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Listen, Jace loves his brother. He does. And God knows Alec deserves someone like Magnus, who truly loves him. But if he loses his job because of his cold feet about dating a guy he’s been flirting with for six months now?

Pizzas are on Alec until Jace finds a new jo-SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSH-

Jace half crashes into the guard rail, and the guy next to it gives him his best Stanley Hudson impression, yelling, “Are you out of your damn mind!”

He’s got about ten minutes to get to the place that takes a seven minute subway ride and a fifteen minute walk.

Yes. Yes he has lost his damn mind.

Ah shit.

Forget the compartment. Even the station is cramped. And smelling like someone dumped rotten fishes in Satan’s armpit. Jace tries not to think that he might have to stand next to the source of that smell for the next seven minutes.

The doors open, and it feels like someone has opened the door of a flat 50% off sale at a Target. If Jace gets trampled to death today just to get to his job, Alec better deliver one hell of a eulogy.

He waits a little, just to avoid the initial rush to get on the train, and well, it’s not like his day has been going any good before anyway. The timer runs out, and Jace honest to God wails and-

A hand sticks out between the closing automatic doors and Jace grabs it on instinct, and hauls himself on the train. He looks at the owner of the hand, and it’s the same black-rimmed glasses, same curly mop of brown hair, and same warm smile.

“Thanks.” Jace smiles back. “Sorry I’m making you save me from being late everyday. You’re probably sick of me,” he jokes.

“I’m not.” Pretty Face smiles, and Jace’s stomach feels warm.

Next station has people getting off of their compartment, and Jace can stand easier this time now that he doesn’t have the hyperventilating college kid next to him. Poor kid, Jace thinks, having gone through all that himself couple years ago. There’s a seat vacant in front of them, and Jace gestures at Pretty Face to take the chance. Pretty Face smiles, and goes to sit, but stops at the last second, reaching behind Jace to pull someone towards him.

Jace falters, and turns around to see a sweet old lady standing behind him, slightly swaying with the motion of the train because her hands can’t reach the poles. He helps Pretty Face help her sit, and she thanks them both in the sweet voice worldwide connected to loving grandmothers. Jace smiles inwards, seeing the soft indulgent smile Pretty Face offers the woman, before leaning on the pole Jace has been holding. 

Sweet, cute, respectful _and_ caring. 

Crap.

Jace tries to think how royally screwed he is when there’s a phone call on speaker behind him, another caller tune blasting.

 _Jesus_. How many people have caller tunes these days?!

_Tonight I’m gonna have myself, a real good time, I feel ali-i-i-ve_

Freddie’s beautiful voice soothes the sting of having to listen to awfully loud phone conversations in public a little.

A little, because Pretty Face soothes the rest.

The Grandma says something wistfully about going to a Queen concert when she was younger, and Pretty Face winks at her, before starting a lip sync rendition of Jace’s favourite Queen song. Jace’s cheeks start hurting around the second verse from how much he’s smiling, but Pretty Face seals the deal with a Grammy worthy air guitar solo, on a freaking subway car.

Jace is a little definitely not in love.

By the time he gets to the bistro, he’s about ten minutes late. Maia doesn’t even yell, just raising her eyebrows at his grin, and he casually flips his childhood friend-turned ex-turned boss off. 

___________________________

Alec’s slept over at Magnus’ last night, and Jace is swear to God dreading to pick up the phone when Isabelle calls, already queasy imagining how loud she must be shrieking. Izzy has always been the biggest ‘Malec’ shipper, a stupid ship name she came up with the first time Alec described his favourite customer as ‘quite magical’, before sputtering and swallowing.

Jace had laughed. Alec wasn’t fooling anyone anyway.

What Jace can’t explain right now is that even though he had the apartment all to himself, no long bathroom hogging, he’s still late. Late enough to catch Pretty Face’s subway anyway. Well, what can he say? He slept in.

Completely deliberately accidentally.

The subway is less crowded today, and Jace thanks all available deities inwardly when he gets on their compartment without anyone elbowing him in the guts.

His eyes search the compartment, and Pretty Face waves him over to where he’s sitting, and Jace notices a leather bag on the seat next to him. The compartment is empty enough that no-one’s standing, and Jace looks at him curiously.

Pretty Face gestures at the seat, and takes the bag into his lap so Jace can sit. Jace smiles a little, oh who is he kidding he’s outright grinning right now. They’ve been sitting together for a minute, content in each other’s company, when the Cool Mom opposite of them is calling someone on speaker. Again.

What the fuck is up with people and calling people with caller tunes on speakerphone in freaking subway?!

_I can be your hero baby, I can kiss away the pain_

Jace turns to pretty face, half on instinct, half because he can feel movement next to him. Stupidly Pretty Face is making exaggerated faces and practically serenading him. Jace’s grin comes unbridled, and he can’t believe this ridiculous and amazing man. He’s almost ready to say goodbye as his stop comes, when Pretty Face blows him a kiss in sync with the lyrics, and Jace almost falls off of the subway steps, dumbfounded.

The last thing Jace sees before he turns around is Pretty Face smiling like an idiot.

___________________________

“You’re sulking.”

Alec’s voice rips through the Pretty Face centered scenario playing in Jace’s mind, and he sits up from his seat in the couch. “I don’t sulk. I’m fine. I’m just- you know- pondering.”

Alec offers him a small smile, the same one he usually keeps for when Max gets a bad paper. Jace hates this sometimes, how well Alec can read him like an open book ever since they were kids. He hates how every time he tries to pretend everything is okay, to fake it till it make it, Alec doesn’t let him. His brother keeps him floating, keeps him honest. He hates him for that, and he loves that he has someone to hate like that, like a sibling, like family.

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” Alec keeps his tone casual, picking the whites separate from the colours, but Jace knows his brother.

“I know. I’m fine, Alec.”

“Whatever you say.” Alec nods. “Just- I wanted to tell you, you’ve been happier these past few days. More than I’ve ever seen you been.”

“More than when you screamed like a baby when I put a dozen umbrellas with fake spiders in your room on Halloween?” Jace smiles at his brother.

“Yes, so much happier.” Alec glares at him. “And I still haven’t forgotten about it, you dumbass!”

“Bring it on Lightwood!” Jace juts his chin out.

“Oh you’re going down, Herondale.” Alec narrows his eyes at him, before his expression settles into something a little more serious. “Hey Jace?”

“Yeah?” Jace turns to face him.

“Whoever makes you happy like this, getting you sulking because it’s your day off? I think you should go for it.” Alec shrugs. “What could go wrong?”

“Yup.” Jace nods. “It’s official. I miss grumpy Alec. Can you tell Magnus to keep you at his apartment? I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“It’s a loft, you asshole. And fuck off!” Alec throws a ratty old grey t-shirt at him.

___________________________

The next day it’s _God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You_. Jace has half a mind to skip work just to see Pretty Face rival Paul Rudd in lip syncing.

___________________________

Jace has gotten to the subway on time today.

Well, on time to see Pretty Face, anyway.

When the door to their usual compartment whizzes opens, Jace’s eyes immediately land on the unruly mop of brown hair sitting near the opposite door. Pretty Face is moving in his seat, and Jace realizes, with a burst of weird butterflies he’s looking for him.

 _Butterflies!_ A part of him thinks. That’s a new one. Another part thinks how Alec’s never gonna let him live this one down.

He trudges through the sea of people crowding the door. What is with people and doors! There’s literally a whole compartment to stand in! 

He manages to get through between Mr Clogs and Ms Too-Much-Perfume, and finally, sweet freedom.

And a sweet face but he’s not gonna go there. 

(Spoiler alert, he’s _totally_ gonna go there.)

“Hi!” Pretty Face smiles and Jace can feel his face breaking into a grin involuntarily.

“Hey!”

“Saved you a seat.”

The man gestures at the space beside him, and Jace notices the backpack with almost dozens of pins. One of them says _‘Zoom’_ like Flash, another one with a _‘I’m Pan-duh’_ in pink, yellow and blue. The one that catches his eye is a red and white _‘You wanna hear it in Spanish? Noh!’_ written on it.

“Teen Wolf?” Jace tries to hide his smile, Pretty Face feigns offense.

“It’s a damn good show, I’ll have you know.” 

“Oh I know.” Jace grins.

They settle into a comfortable silence, and Jace thinks back on how easy it is to be there with him. Or how easy it would be if there weren’t the smells of at least five different perfumes in the air. Jesus!

It’s just a minute or two before his stop that Jace realizes that something’s missing. There’s no-one calling anyone today. No callertune, no catchy songs.

No first class lip syncing.

For the first time in his life he feels sad that there isn’t an annoying loud person with no sense of personal space calling someone on speakerphone.

Well, they talked at least. Win some, lose some, Jace thinks. But there’s still a hint of something in the back of his head he can’t quite put his finger on.

A minute left to his station, Jace is ready to give up, and suddenly there’s the familiar music. 

The international bi anthem.

_I know that I can’t take no more, it ain’t no lie,_

_I wanna see you out that door, baby bye bye bye._

How many NSYNC fans do these people know! And Jace is about to say somethi- nope. He’s not.

Because Pretty Face is waving goodbye in the beats with the song.

Jace definitely absolutely does _not_ spend the day daydreaming about him, no matter what Maia and Alec says.

___________________________

By the time Jace reaches the subway, he’s crossing his fingers for _You Shook Me All Night Long_. Come on, almost half a million people on the subway, someone has to listen to some AC/DC, right?

The train pulls up, and Jace gets on, his mismatched eyes scanning the compartment for a familiar bespectacled face. And there he i- no, that’s a girl with short hair.

Jace looks around, and there’s no Pretty Face. Not that there’s no pretty face, but none of them is _his_ Pretty Face. Not that he is Jace’s, but- well you get the idea.

“It must be his day off.” Jace thinks. He realizes he doesn’t even know the guy’s name. Much less where he works.

He makes a mental note to ask him the next day.

Which doesn’t happen because Pretty Face isn’t here today either. Jace wonders if he changed his schedule, or just he’s taking a day off. He hopes he’s okay.

The third day is no more helpful than the previous two. Jace is worried, frustrated, and maybe a little hurt too. But hey, it’s not like he owes Jace answers or whatever.

He yells at two irritating customers. Maia tries to say something, but looks at him and just smiles softly and shakes her head.

Jace is pretty sure he would’ve preferred the yelling.

___________________________

It’s been a week.

A week of getting up too early for someone Jace doesn’t even know. A week of boarding the wrong train and not seeing the face he’s been dying to see. A week of getting late, and getting sympathetic glances from everyone at the bar. Alec hasn’t asked him to do anything he hates for the whole week.

And it’s exhausting.

Jace wants it all to go back to normal, to get yelled at by Maia because he’s about ten minutes late. To have his brother shake his head and tell him to clean up while he does a thorough commentary of exactly how much of a reckless idiot he is.

He’s Jace fucking Herondale, dammit. He’s not the guy who fawns over random people. He’s not the guy who’s heartbroken over someone he just shared a seat with in a subway.

Except he absolutely, completely, unabashedly is.

___________________________

It’s not a conscious decision to get on the train today. Alec has asked him multiple times to let him drive to the bar. Izzy called and asked about how he is. Maia texted him in the morning to tell him he doesn’t need to come in today if he doesn’t want to.

And he’s grateful. He is. But he can’t take all this anymore. He needs some time away. He’s hoping this subway ride would give him that. And well, it’s not like _someone_ is there to divert his attention back to-

Wait is that-

Jace’s heart does a backflip Coach Starkweather would have been proud of, but he doesn’t take it at face value. Not getting his heart broken twice in just a week.

He approaches the guy slowly, almost like approaching a wild animal. And honestly, the comparison wouldn’t be so out of place if you notice the guy’s hair.

Did he get into a tornado? Is that why he’s not been here all week?

Jace stands in front of him, but he doesn’t notice, head still buried in the papers in his hand. Jace taps him on his shoulder, and Pretty Face almost jumps, startling him.

“Dear lord!”

Jace takes in the red-rimmed eyes, the skewed glasses, the papers and the books peaking from his backpack, the disposable cup of trenta.

Oh.

Pretty Face seems to register him vaguely, and mumbles something. Jace makes a decision, and takes the coffee away.

“Wha-”

He starts to say something, but stops himself seeing Jace’s stern expression. Jace puts the papers neatly back into the backpack, and takes the water bottle out. He holds it out to him, and Pretty Face drinks the water like a man lost in the desert.

“Thanks.” He croaks out, finally making some intelligible sound.

“Anytime.” Jace takes the bottle from him. “You okay?”

“Final semester.” There’s purple bags under those tired brown eyes Jace is so used to see full of smile and well-meaning mischief, and it hurts to see. He feels a twinge of guilt for thinking only about himself, and not considering the fact that the guy might be literally studying himself to death.

Jace wishes he could help somehow, but he’s been through Izzy’s med school exam preps enough times to know there’s not much he can do. And besides Pretty Face might not even want him to do anything.

Still. He wishes he could just make his day a bit better. Oh wait, is that- 

Of all the songs in the world.

_I threw a wish in the well, don’t ask me I’ll never tell,_

_I looked at you as it fell, and now you’re in my way._

Oh well. If it means making him smile.

Jace uses the bottle as a microphone, full-fledgedly singing now, loud enough for anyone within arms length to hear.

_Your stare was holding, ripped jean skin was showing_

_Hot night wind was blowing, where do you think going baby?_

Pretty Face laughs out loud, and Jace feels like some Angel just blessed him, even though he’s stupidly in love.

Maybe _because_ he’s stupidly in love.

Jace decides to do the encore too.

The end of the song nears, as does his stop. Jace takes the marker peaking out of the man’s bag, and writes his number on his right arm, just under the Skywalker watch.

“Call me maybe?”

They’re both grinning now, and Jace hears the tell-tale whizz of the sliding doors opening. He winks at him before getting off, his smile still plastered on his face. Jace barely makes out of the station before his phone pings.

_Hey hey you you, I know you like me! No way no way, you know it’s not a secret! Hey hey you you, I want to be your boyfriend!_

Jace paraphrases the song just a tiny bit when he proposes two years later.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?  
> Tell me in the comments or find me on tumblr @christophers-lightwood 💙


End file.
